This invention relates to a security label, an associated package and associated methods, and more particularly, to a security label that is useful in (i) providing documentary evidence that an authentic product was used and (ii) providing a visually obvious method to determine if a product contained in a package is authentic.
The use of counterfeit or non-genuine products is, unfortunately, a serious problem in many situations. For example, the use of counterfeit automobile or aircraft parts not only constitutes a fraud on the purchaser but also may lead to serious safety problems. Even more seriously, the use of non-authentic or generic pharmaceutical products when the authentic pharmaceutical product is thought to be used can cause serious health consequences for the patient and can lead to malpractice claims against physicians and hospitals.
What is needed, therefore, is a security label that can be used to determine the authenticity of the product contained in a package and that can also be used to provide documentary evidence that an authentic product was used in repairing a car or aircraft or that the proper drug is used in patient care.
The invention has met or exceeded the above-mentioned needs, as well as others. The security label of the invention comprises a label liner including a first adhesive layer and a piggy-back label removably secured to the label liner. An associated package having the security label placed thereon is also disclosed. The package is adapted to contain replacement parts, such as aircraft and automobile parts, and pharmaceutical products.
The invention also provides a method of providing documentary evidence of the use of an authentic product. The method comprises providing a package containing an authentic product and placing thereon a security label having a structure that was described above. The piggy-back label of the security label is then removed from the label liner of the security label and placed on a document. In this way, the document indicates that the authentic product has been used. The removal of the piggy-back label also prevents re-use of the package for non-authentic products.
Finally, the invention also provides a method of visually verifying the authenticity of a product contained in a package. The method comprises placing on the package a security label having a structure that was described above. The method then comprises observing the security label on the package to determine the presence or absence of the piggy-back label on the label backing. The absence of the piggy-back label indicates to the user that a non-authentic product may be contained in the package.